Automatic disconnecting plug



3, 1955 J. a. HOWARD AUTOMATIC DISCONNECTING PLUG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 30, 1950 fiiZI/EH i UP: M (IO/212 Qffozuard Nov. 8, 1955 J. G. HOWARD 2,723,380

AUTOMATIC DISCONNECTING PLUG Filed Sept. 30, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "I'll W W! A JHVE'H t UP Jojzzz Gifiozz/ard 5 447 467 %/wwyamd AUTOMATIC DISCONNECTING PLUG John G. Howard, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Pyle- National Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of New Jersey Application eptember 30, 1950, Serial No. 187,809

8 Claims. (Cl. 339-) This invention relates generally to the improvement whereby a movable vehicle such as a railway car having electrical jumper connections to a relatively stationary electrical apparatus such as a battery charger unit may be safely moved when in coupled condition with the electrical apparatus and more specifically relates to an automatic disconnecting plug constructed and arranged with contact terminal means which are angularly displaceable into selective alignment along the general axis of movement between relatively movable junction boxes to facilitate ready separation of such contact terminal means without physical damage to any of the apparatus associated therewith.

Many movable vehicles such as railway cars and the like employ wheel-driven generators which are relied upon to furnish electrical current for use in the vehicle. When the vehicles are at a standstill, for example, when a railway train is standing in a station or has entered a station terminal, the wheel-driven generators are inactive and, accordingly, appropriate electrical jumper connections are oftentimes made between battery charging units and the respective railway cars.

In some station terminals these connections are made directly to outlet boxes located adjacent the tracks upon which the railroad train is standing. In other instances, a portable battery charging unit mounted on a rollable carriage is moved adjacent each respective railway car for connection through an appropriate electrical jumper assembly to a terminal box located on the railway car.

Sometimes, through oversight or other negligent behavior of servicing personnel, the electrical jumper assemblies are not disconnected prior to scheduled movement of the railroad train from the station or station terminal with the result that when a relative movement occurs between the c'ars of the railway train and the respective battery charging unit or outlet box,- the railway cars are still in coupled condition with the electrical apparatus. Under such circumstances, injury to material and personnel is very likely to occur.

According to the general features of the present invention, a terminal box for a railway car is provided having contact terminals therein and a specially devised disconnecting plug having a first contact terminal means connected to the contact terminal means of the boxis provided. A second contact terminal means is also provided in the disconnecting plug so that a jumper for an electrical apparatus such as a battery charger may be electrically connected thereto. The second contact terminal means of the disconnecting plug is angularly displaceable for selective alignment along an axis lying in the general direction of relative movement between the railway car and the battery charger so as to facilitate the ready separation of the contact terminal means.

In this manner a portable battery charging unit or other apparatus will not be dragged after the railway car inadvertently, nor will electrical jumper assemblies be torn apart through inadvertent oversight in efiecting disconnection, but as relative movement occurs between the railway car and the battery charging unit a ready separation of the contact terminal means between the disconnecting plug and the jumper will occur.

It will be evident that it is far more desirable to have the relatively simple and inexpensive disconnecting plug carried along in the terminal box of the railway car rather than to incur the unnecessary damage and expense to the electrical apparatus associated therewith should the series of events outlined above occur.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an arrangement whereby a movable vehicle such as a railway car having electrical jumper connections to a relatively stationary electrical apparatus such as a battery charger unit may be safely moved when in coupled condition.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved disconnecting plug having electrical contact terminal elements therein angularly displaceable for selective alignment along an axis lying in the general direction of relative movement between two socket receptacles adapted to be moved relativeto one another along a generally parallel translatory path.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the features of my invention is shown.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic showing of a railway car electrically and mechanically coupled to a battery charger unit and an automatic disconnecting plug is provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing details of construction of an automatic disconnecting plug according to the principles of the present invention and is taken substantially on line IIII of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a terminal box on the railway car shown in Figure 1 including an automatic disconnecting plug according to the principles of the present invention; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view with parts shown in elevation of an alternative form of disconnecting plug provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure l, a railway car is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and is movably mounted on rails or tracks 11 for travel along a generally translatory path.

The locale of the rails or tracks 11 in this particular instance may be taken as a typical railway terminus having an appropriate hard surface 12 adjacent the track 11 upon which is shown a battery charger unit 13 mounted on a movable carriage to afford portability and having a socket receptacle 15.

The railway car 10 is provided with the usual junction box 14 which may be referred to herein as a socket receptacle or a terminal box. An electrical jumper assembly including a jumper 16 and an automatic disconnecting plug 17 is provided according to the principles of the present invention between the junction box 14 and the battery charger unit 13 to eifect mechanical and electrical coupling between the railway car 10 and the battery charger unit 13.

It will be understood, of course, that in modern improved railway terminals permanently installed battery charger outlet boxes may be provided in proximate relation to the tracks 11 so that the jumper 16 could be electrically connected to the contact terminals of such an outlet box. However, the socket receptacle 15 of the battery Patented Nov. 8, 1955 charger unit 13 and the railway car are used as specific examples of any general arrangement wherein a movable vehicle is provided with electrical jumper connections to a relatively stationary electrical apparatus, the socket re-v ceptacle being considered for purposesot this disclosure as an outlet box for the stationary electrical apparatus.

Referring more specifically to Figures 2 and 3, it will be noted that the junction box 14 is provided with a frame 18' rigidly supporting. a socket receptacle 19 in which are located; contact terminal means 26. In this particular application, the contact terminal; means 20 include a female type sleeve; 21 appropriately recessed to receive a complementally shaped male contact memberand a second contact 221 spaced from the contact 21 by appropriate electrically non-conductive insulating. material.

The open end of the socket receptacle 19 is closed by adoorg23: pivotally hinged to the'socket receptacle 19 as at pivot pin 24 and having a spring latch 26- which snaps over a flange 27 provided onthe socket receptacle 19 to holdthe door 23' in open position.

The disconnecting plug17 includes a generally L-shaped body 28- made of a suitable electrically nonconductive material. At one end of the body 28 is provided a sleeve like extension 29 which is, arranged to support and carry a sleeve contact 30 thereon. The sleeve contact 30 is provided with external threads to threadedly receive a replaceable contact terminal sleeve 31 which, in its assembled condition, is arranged to cooperate with the contact 22 of the contact terminal means 20 in the socket receptacle 19 of the junction box 14.

The sleeve contact 30 extends through the body 28 and is electrically connected to a second contact sleeve 32 arranged withina recess 33 defined in the other end of the body 28.

A male type contact prong 34 is concentrically arranged relative to the contact terminal sleeve 31 and the sleeve-like extension 29 and is arranged to cooperate with the female type contact 21 of the contact terminal means 20 of the junction box 14. One end of the male contact 34 is threaded into an appropriate conductor 36 electrically connected to a second female type contact 37 concentrically disposed relative to the contact 32 in the other end of the body 28 in the locale of the recess 33.

Apair of electrically conductive terminals 40 and 41 are molded in a body 42 of electrically non-conductive material. The terminal 40 has formed at the end thereof a threaded sleeve 43 which receives a replaceable female contact 44. A male contact 46 is concentrically arranged relative to the contact 44 and is threaded into the terminal 41.

At thev opposite end of the disconnecting plug 17', a body 47 made of electrically non-conductive material is provided having a pair of concentric sleeve type contact elements 43 and 49 integrally molded therein. A pair of conductors 50 and 51 respectively effect an electrical connection between the terminals ill and 4-1 and the contacts 48 and 4-9 and are housed by a flexible body portion 52 extending between the body 42 and the body 47.

Thus, the contacts 48 and 49 and the body 47 may beangularly displaced for selective alignment along an axis lying in the general direction of relative movement between the railway car 10 and the battery charger unit 13 by virtue of the degree of flexure afiorded by the flexible body portion; 52 of the disconnecting plug 17. The relative movement of the body 47 relative to the body 42 is shown inFigure 4 by the dotted line position.

It will be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of this patent all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1 As an article ofi manufacture, a disconnecting plug comprising an hrshaped body, concentrically arranged contact terminal meansiin one end of said body on a pivot axis extending through said body and contact terminals The contacts 32 and 37, of course, are arranged and constructed to receive a conventional contact terminal means of a concentric sleeve-type contact arrangement fixed on the end of the electrical jumper 16. As shown in Figure 2, such contact arrangement includes the male contact 33 and the sleeve contact 39 constructed similarly to the opposite end of the disconnecting plug 17.

Because of the use of concentrically arranged con tact means between the junction box 14 and the disconnecting plug 17,,the L-shaped body 28 of the disconnecting plug 17 will. be pivotally rotatable about an axis established by one endof the disconnecting plug 17 and co axial with the axis of the contact terminal means 20. Thus, the contacts 32 and 37 in the opposite end of the disconnecting plug 17 will be angularly displaceable for selective alignment along an axis lying in the general direction of relative movement between the railway car,

10 and the battery charger unit 13.

This pivotal movement is best illustrated in Figure 3v in the other end, of, said body, said concentrically arranged contact terminals being cooperable with complementary shaped contact terminals, said contact terminals in the other end of said body being angularly displaceable on said pivotal axis of said disconnecting plug relative to said concentrically arranged contact terminal means. v

2. In combination, a movable wheeled vehicle, arelatively stationary electrical means, socket receptacles on said vehicle and, on said electrical means each having contact terminals moved relative to one another for separation from: one another along a generally parallel translatory path when said vehicle is in transit and being electrically and mechanically coupled by a jumper having contact terminals therein when said vehicle is halted adjacent said electrical means, and a. disconnecting plug, a first contact. terminal means carried by said plug and arranged to engage the contact terminals of one of said socket receptacles and a second, contact terminal means carried by said plug in; spaced relationship to said first contact terminal means and arranged to engage the con tact terminals of said jumper in separable relationship therewith, said second contact terminal means arranged to be'selectively angularly displaced in the general direction of relative movement between said socket receptacles in responseto forces resulting when relative movement occurs between said socket receptacles thereby to be directed generally axially of said second contact terminal means to separate without manual actuation said second contact terminal means and said jumper contact terminals.

3. The improvement whereby a movable wheeled vehicle such as a railway car having electrical jumper connections to a relatively stationary electrical apparatus such as a battery charger may be safely moved when in coupled condition with said apparatus, which improvement comprises, a movable wheeled railway car, a terminal box for said railway car and having contact terminal means therein, a disconnecting plug having a first con tact terminal means connected, to the contact terminal means. ofl saidter-minal box. and a second, contact terminal means, a relatively stationary electrical apparatus,

and a jumper for said electrical apparatus and having contact terminals, said second contact terminal means and said jumper contact terminals forming an axially separable coupling connection, said second contact terminal means of said plug being angularly displaceable for selective alignment along an axis lying in the general direction of relative movement between said railway car and the electrical apparatus to facilitate ready axial separation of said second contact terminal means and said jumper without manual actuation in response to move ment of said car.

4. The improvement whereby a movable wheeled vehicle such as a railway car having temporary electrical jumper connections to a relatively stationary electrical apparatus such as a battery charger may be safely moved when in coupled condition with said apparatus, which improvement comprises, a movable wheeled railway car having a terminal box, contact terminal means in said box, a disconnecting plug having a first contact terminal means connectable with said contact terminal means of said terminal box, a second contact terminal means in said disconnecting plug, a relatively stationary electrical apparatus, a jumper for said electrical apparatus and having contact terminals axially connectable with said second contact terminal means of said disconnecting plug, and a flexible body portion in said disconnecting plug between said first and second contact terminal means, whereby said second contact terminal means is selectively angularly displaceable for alignment along an axis lying in the general direction of relative movement between the railway car and the electrical apparatus to facilitate ready axial separation without manual actuation of said second contact terminal means and said jumper in response to movement of said car.

5. In combination, a movable wheeled vehicle, a stationary electrical means, a socket receptacle on said vehicle and on said electrical means each having contact terminals and adapted to be moved relative to one another along a generally parallel translatory path and being temporarily electrically and mechanically coupled by a jumper having contact terminals therein, a disconnecting plug, a first contact means carried by said plug and arranged to engage the contact terminals of one of said socket receptacles, a second contact terminal means carried by said plug and arranged to engage the contact terminals of said jumper in separable relationship therewith, said disconnecting plug having a flexible body portion between said first and second contact terminal means, said second contact terminal means being angularly displaceable in the general direction of relative movement between said socket receptacles in response to the forces resulting when relative movement occurs between said socket receptacles, whereby said forces will be directed generally axially of said second contact terminal means to separate said second contact terminal means and said jumper contact terminals without manual actuation and in response to movement of said vehicle.

6. In combination, a movable wheeled vehicle, a relatively stationary electrical means, a socket receptacle on said vehicle and on said electrical means each having contact terminals and adapted to be moved relative to one another along generally parallel translatory paths and being electrically and mechanically coupled by a jumper having contact terminals therein, the improvement of a disconnecting plug comprising a generally L-shaped body, concentrically arranged contact terminals in one end of said body to engage the contact terminals of one of said socket receptacles, and contact terminals in the other end of said body arranged to engage the contact terminals of said jumper in separable relationship therewith, said disconnecting plug means pivotally rotatable about the axis of said concentrically arranged contact terminals, the forces resulting when relative movement occurs between said socket receptacles operable to pivotally displace said contact plug about said axis, whereby said contact terminals in said other end will be aligned in the general direction of relative movement between said socket members to facilitate ready separation thereof without manual actuation and in response to movement of said vehicle.

7. The improvement whereby a movable wheel vehicle such as a railway car having electrical jumper connections to a relatively stationary electrical apparatus such as a battery charger may be safely moved when in coupled condition with said apparatus, which improvement comprises a movable wheeled railway car, a terminal box for said railway car having concentrically disposed contact terminal means therein, a disconnecting plug having an L-shaped body, complemental concentrically disposed contact teiminals in one end of said body and arranged to engage said contact terminals of said terminal box, said body being pivotally rotatable about the axis of said contact terminal means, contact terminal means in the other end of said body, a relatively stationary electrical apparatus, and a jumper for said electrical apparatus and having contact terminals connected to said contact terminals of said disconnecting plug, said contact terminals of said plug being selectively alignable in the general direction of relative movement between the railway car and the electrical apparatus upon pivotal rotation of said body to facilitate ready separation of said contact terminals and said jumper without manual actuation and in response to movement of said vehicle.

8. The improvement whereby a movable wheeled vehicle such as a railway car having electrical jumper connections to a relatively stationary electrical apparatus such as a battery charger may be safely moved along a generally parallel translatory path even when in coupled condition with said apparatus, which improvement comprises, a movable wheeled railway car, a terminal box for said railway car, a disconnecting plug, concentrically aligned mating contact terminals between said terminal box and said disconnecting plug and effecting a mechanical and electrical coupling therebetween, a relatively stationary electrical apparatus, a multi-wire jumper for said electrical apparatus, concentrically aligned mating contact terminals between said disconnecting plug and said jumper and elfecting a mechanical and electrical coupling therebetween, said last mentioned mating contact terminals being angularly displaceable relative to said first mentioned contact terminals and into alignment on an axis lying in the general direction of relative movement between the railway car and the electrical apparatus, said last mentioned mating contact terminals being axially separable without manual actuation and in response to forces directed along said axis upon movement of the railway car.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 950,899 Dods Mar. 1, 1910 985,241 Anderson Feb. 28, 1911 1,655,263 Frost Jan. 3, 1928 2,124,207 Neesen July 19, 1938 2,190,363 Knapp Feb. 13, 1940 2,235,262 Miller Mar. 18, 1941 2,271,463 Reeves Ian. 27, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 363,934 Germany Nov. 15, 1922 596,589 France Aug. 11, 1925 

